Tottenham’s Jose Mourinho needs to reinstate Englishman into first team

Jose Mourinho, after benching Dele Alli for the Chelsea match, must reinstate the Englishman to the starting lineup when Tottenham host Wolves tomorrow. 

Dele endured a woeful outing against RB Leipzig before being withdrawn in the dour Champions League loss. Mourinho then decided the best course of action was to bench him for the pivotal contest at Stamford Bridge, a strategy that failed miserably.

Dele, for Mourinho to salvage his relationship with the midfielder, must start on Sunday. With his appeal to the FA ban in the making, Dele has a major potential distraction that could derail his opportunity for redemption. But that’s up to Dele to navigate.

While Dele’s performances this season have been more inconsistent and erratic in years prior, he is undoubtedly one of Spurs, considering Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min’s injuries, only difference makers. We all know what he’s capable of, and he needs the opportunity to showcase exactly that.

I’m not saying that Dele can underperform with impunity. He should face ramifications for miserable outings. But there’s a time and place for punishment, and an away match at Chelsea was not it.

Benching him twice on the bounce could cause irreparable damage between coach and player. And Spurs can ill-afford to alienate one of their most creative playmakers. Let him play, Jose, that putting the accountability on the player, providing the Englishman with a chance to redeem himself and galvanize the side.

Mourinho is in no position to hold back or conceal his best cards. He must show his best hand and start the enigmatic midfielder, even if the decision is against his better judgement.